Students in BAA are instructed in practical and daily life skills in order to prepare them for future situations at home and in the community and work place. These programs include areas such as, pre-vocational skills, daily life skills, community-based instructions, self-care, and functional math.
Personal and Social Development
Across the school, learning social skills and how to get along with others is the most important aspect of this program. Students learn how to respect themselves and others. Health education teaches healthy practices regarding physical and emotional changes of growing up, puberty, making good choices, keeping safe, understanding feelings, relationships and more. They also learn how to express themselves and their ideas through debating and leadership programs. Students learn about human rights and international laws as a part of developing an international perspective.
Pre-vocational and Work-Related Skills
Students are exposed to a wide range of in-school pre–vocational tasks through various activities, e.g., maintenance of electricity, carpentry, painting, agriculture, building, and firefighting. Our goal is for students to utilize their personal interests and turn them into career exploration for the future. As students transition to adulthood, they are exposed to various job sites and work experiences and expected to uphold not only BAA’s expectations for behavior, but also the work expectations.
Activities of Daily Living
Students experience and are encouraged to learn various activities that they will encounter in their everyday lives. From being responsible for their own belongings to making a bed, students get to practice these skills in BAA’s campus or of-site. This offers students the opportunity to learn cooking, doing dishes, laundry and other skills found in a home environment. All of these skills can be utilized throughout a student’s entire life and help foster a greater level of independence.
Community-Based Instruction
Our community-based instruction allows students to generalize skills learned in school out into the real world in typical community environments, e.g., grocery stores, restaurants, retail stores and the local libraries. Students are afforded the opportunity to visit local job sites to gain experience and exposure to different careers.
Self-Care Skills
BAA encourages each student to be as independent as possible, and this begins with students being able to meet their personal needs. Depending on the ability and age levels of students, they are able to practice self-care skills such as grooming, brushing their teeth, and basic hygiene practices. Students are instructed on self-care skills throughout the curriculum in science, health and through related service and sessions.
Leisure and Recreational Skills
Students are able to discover things that they like to do in their free time. As a part of their everyday lives, students are able to socialize with friends and play games. They are guided through a wide variety of safe, social and productive activities and clubs that they can enjoy in their own time.
Functional Math
Our students are exposed to functional math skills throughout the school day. Students also practice working with money using real life experiences within the school building, and generalize those skills when students go off site on various trips to visit local stores and restaurants or through different fundraising events where they are able to calculate cost of items and exchange money for goods.